Great Western Coffee Shop

ok, this is NOT FGW but I thought some of you may know how I could try to follow this up.  I accidentally got on the wrong train this morning - was supposed to be get the normal BNS to Euston train that stops at Cov but accidentally (due to not being awake enough) got onto the one that runs non stop to Euston.  I was going to Hemel - TM was great - said he sees it all the time and sold me a ticket that would get me through the barriers at Euston as he felt the train should be better signed!

So - At Euston - got on the 0905 Euston to Tring train - decided to get some sleep - was ok until Watford where a  school trip joined the train.  Following this I have the following issues:

1. There was 1 teacher visible to about 30 children (age 14-15ish I would guess) - there may have been more but it was not evident - most children stood in the main carriage but about 10 went into the first class compartment (was a LM Desiro if that helps)
2. On seeing me half asleep they start banging coke bottle on the tables - sticking a radio next to my ear, shouting and being obnoxious - teacher would have heard it through the doors but did nothing.  I thought about finding the TM but both exits to the compartment were blocked by two rather large boys and being a 5'3'' female - I wasnt going to take them on
3. It was only a short journey but until they got off at Apsley - they tried everything to harass me - boasting about the last time they were on a trip they emptied all the first class carriages
4. To be frank - I was scared shitless
5. When I went to find the TM after they got off - he was hiding in the cab at the joining of two trains............. said he couldnt do anything as it was a 12 car and there should be two conductors but he was only 1 and so he was there to dispatch the train and that was that.  He said he'd contact Euston to see if it was a notified trip to identify the school but he couldnt promise anything
5. Do trains have CCTV?  I would really like to follow up on this - I was scared to even try to look to identify the school since any reaction of life from me just encouraged them (and I'm not, as you may have gathered over the years) a shrinking violet.
6. Is there anything LM or BTP may be able to do if I make a formal complaint - I wish I'd have had the guts to try to identify the school - but even moving my head caused more of them to pile in and start shouting in my ear

I know what I SHOULD have done - phoned the police whilst on the train - reported it and tried to get the BTP involved - but I suspect my mobile would be non existent now, and I would have just  antagonized them more. 

I really dont want the annoying  scroates to get away with it - and I think the school should be held to account

oh yeah - and they were all black - which doesnt help either since I'm sure someone, if I  could pursue it, would bring out the - you were racist and perceiving them to be threatening!

I'm very sorry to hear about your experience... :-[

I would definately make a formal complaint to London Midland. Being intimidated like that is out of order and the TM should have done something about it. Equally if you know where these scroats got on, then you should be able to identify the school. I would also make a complaint to them, because to be brutaly honest, they shouldn't have been in FC and i'm suprised the teacher didn't do anything.

Don't worry about the racism perception. They shouldn't have been there, end of!

You must call BTP. The number is 0800 40 50 40. I deal with them regularly and I know they will take it seriously. If the train was fitted with CCTV, they are empowered to request a download. You will need to be able to say exactly which train it was. If they can't identify individuals, but can identify the school, they will no doubt pay them a call.

Give it a go. This sort of behaviour needs to be stopped.

Don't worry about racism, from what you say, they were definitely being threatening! >:(

I would contact LM first. They should be able to track down a large school party who bought a large amount of tickets at Watford. This should identify the school, to which you can contact. The actions of the staff were unacceptable. If they use the excuse of "we fear them as well," then they should not have taken them on a public train service!

I would then tell LM how the lake of on-board staff made your journey hell. (NB - they have had strikes recently, so perhaps that's why)

To be honest, I'm not sure whether the police will be any use. According to LM, "most" of their fleet has CCTV, but I expect that all Desiros will as they are new. If your train did, at least the police can view it.

Don't let this lie - and good luck. :(

According to a Q&A in a Siemens press release when the new Northampton depot for the Class 350s opened in 2006:

"For extra peace of mind the passenger saloon is monitored by closed circuit television cameras"

The full web page is at http://www.siemenstransportation.co.uk/cms/page.asp?id=54 (http://www.siemenstransportation.co.uk/cms/page.asp?id=54)

Sounds like a horrible experience. The colour of their skin is neither here nor there.

If it's possible to identify the culprits and their addresses I will join you in standing outside the offending parents property at 0200 and bang on their front doors for 20 minutes.

Not sure it will stop the little b********s doing it again but it'll make you feel a hell of a lot better.

Local press, MP, local Ed authority, National Ed etc will also be a good idea once you identify the school.

On second thoughts if Watford borough consider this adequate and acceptable behaviour from their children then you are proably going to get the same reponse from the adults.

I did phone BTP last night after your encouragement - was quite late when I did but there was someone there!

Took the details.

Got a phone call this morning from Milton Keynes and they are going to follow it up - they are going to get the CCTV.  Asked me where the main protagonists were sitting and would I recognize them if I saw a picture of them.  They intend to track down the school and go after them under the public disorder act.  They are also going to contact local police and start an investigation as to why the teachers allowed the children to be unsupervised - as essentially they were in a separate compartment and therefore had no adult supervision - could be an issue for the school/teachers in question

thankyou for taking the time to report this, i say thankyou because too many people stay quiet and people belive that they can get away with it ,by phoning the btp you may well stop this group from harrasing others

Nice work for reporting the incident. I've been annoyed by school trips in the past but that's been public schoolkids dumping their kitbags all over the aisles and seats in crowded trains, not even in the same league as the problems you experienced.

I think in your situation all 6' 2" and 13 stone of me would have felt intimidated. I've always wondered if a situation such as this is good cause for using the passcom. I was on a train a long time ago between Oxford and Didcot with some of Didcot's finest yoof working their way through the train being abusive and intimidating to randomly selected victims. In the end I bottled it because I didn't fancy using the passcom and ending up stuck in section, locked in a train with such delightful company. I didn't make any attempt to stand up to them either, which I have always regretted since.

Thank you, Oxman, for your textbook answer to this topic: yes, contacting BTP at the time, or as soon as practicable afterwards, is exactly what you should do.

I'm sorry you had to suffer such intimidation, Mookiemoo: I hope the formal police investigation into this incident will identify those responsible and lead to them being punished as appropriate.

Yes, well done for taking the time to complain.  Please keep us informed with what happens.

This might make you laugh a bit...


Ah Didcot. Was on a Paddington - Gloucester train Friday 21st, Signalman cautioning trains because some yobs on footbridge over line throwing things onto/at passing trains.

Didcot station staff informed train manager (and me) that it had been reported to police by signalman and that BTP had phoned station asking for a description.  Station staff said to BTP "I can do better than that, I know the ringleaders name and address, - he is going to court next week for assaulting me previously".

Some yobs just don't have enough brain cells to function at a normal level do they.   Needless to say, BTP were off to pay him a visit.

Sorry to here the ordeal Mookiemoo. I admire you for taking a stand though and hope that it comes to a satisfactory conclusion. I know in the past I have let things lie that I really should have pushed through the relevant authorities so well done!

Not quite the same But I decided to venture onto the delights of the South West Trains network ;D

Walked up to the ticket office in Gillingham Station and asked for a First Class Ticket, what I had failed to notice was there were a few "youths" behind me. Needless to say, I got lip along the lines of posh t*** and snobby b*****d. I was glad when they retreated for a train to Yeovil Junction, As I was going the other way ;D

Next time I think I will use the TVM... ::)